Crowns are a solution for severely damaged teeth. A crown will act much like a helmet on a football player’s head. It will protect the tooth from further damage. This is indicated when tooth structure is compromised due to decay, fracture and/or crack. If a crown is prescribed, the damaged part of the tooth is removed and a build up (filling) is performed to replace the tooth. Then the tooth is prepared for a crown by removing a portion of enamel. After the tooth is prepared, an impression is taken of the tooth and sent to a dental lab. After this, a temporary crown is made to protect the tooth during crown fabrication time. Temporary crowns are fragile. Therefore it is important not eat hard food or chewy foods while waiting for the permanent crown.
Different Types of Dental Crowns
All Metal Crowns
Popular metals used in all metal crowns are Gold, Silver, and Palladium. The metal crowns consist of a mixture of metals, or an alloy. Characteristics of precious metals are non-reactive and extremely durable which offer superior longevity of the crown.
All metal crowns are metal color. (Gold or Silver) Since metal crowns do not look like normal teeth, they are reserved for posterior/back molars.
Porcelain fused to Metal Crowns (PFM)
These crowns have two parts to them, a base layer (metal) and an outside layer (porcelain). The porcelain hides the base layer and allows for the appearance of a white tooth. These crowns combine the superior longevity of metal crowns and the aesthetics of white teeth.
All Porcelain Crowns
All Porcelain Crowns have some of the best aesthetic qualities of any of the crowns. The life like appearances comes from the translucency of the crowns. Meaning the tooth will actually show through the crown.
